TUCSON, Ariz.  Dan Evans, who was recently replaced as general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is expected to be hired for an unspecified position in the Mariners' front office, multiple sources said last night.

Evans was replaced as Dodgers GM six weeks ago but remained with the team. New owner Frank McCourt hired Paul DePodesta, former Oakland assistant GM, to replace him.

Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi worked for Evans as farm director of the Dodgers before being hired in Seattle.

Evans was a finalist for the Mariners' GM job in 1999. Although they hired Pat Gillick, Mariners officials were said to be very impressed with Evans.

Pineiro shouldn't miss time

Joel Pineiro passed the first test of his right elbow after being hit by a line drive in the 3-2 loss to Arizona on Monday.

"It felt fine," Pineiro said after playing catch yesterday. "I guess it will be day to day. It's pretty swollen, so that's why. I guess the real test will be tomorrow throwing in the bullpen  unless they tell me not to throw."

Mariners manager Bob Melvin liked the news on Pineiro.

"A little higher or lower, and it might have been a lot worse," Melvin said. "The way it looks now, he won't even have to push back a day."

Pitching coach Bryan Price said Pineiro will go through his usual bullpen session if he's up to it and is expected to make his next start.

The extra-precautionary standard Seattle has used for players with muscle tweaks this spring  take an extra day  probably won't be applied in Pineiro's case.

"If he can pitch without discomfort or changing his throwing action," Price said, "Joel will throw on the side (today) and be on schedule for his next start (Saturday)."

Pineiro's positive result was one of several Price received yesterday.

Rafael Soriano, out for more than a month with a strained oblique (side) muscle, went through his last bullpen session and is expected to pitch in a game by the end of the week.

Aaron Taylor, out all spring after shoulder surgery, did well in throwing drills.

Pineiro threw for about 10 minutes and said he felt the swollen area just below the elbow "a little bit on the release, but it was just because of the swelling."

"I didn't throw a lot," he said. "They just wanted me to get some blood flow and see how I felt throwing. I felt it a little bit when I flicked my wrist, but Newby (assistant trainer Tom Newberg) said it's just because of the swelling.

"I'm pretty sure they would have told me to get X-rays if they would have thought it was worse," he said.

Pineiro received treatment for several hours to reduce the swelling, but it did nothing to lessen the imprint made by the liner by Danny Bautista.

"You can see the seams of the ball on there (on his forearm)," he said.

Notes

 Dave Hansen started at first base last night, with Willie Bloomquist making his first start at second base after several starts at first. "I don't want to use Scott Spiezio at first because I want him to play third to get re-used to it," Melvin said. "But we can use Willie at first against some lefties, like (Anaheim's Jarrod) Washburn, who he hits well against."

Confirming that he is a Bloomquist fan, Melvin said, "He's very instinctive in the infield. He plays every position well, and if they invented a new position, Willie would play it well."